Worth the Wait
by Mouse9
Summary: Two kids meet at a school dance. But wait, there's a catch.


You guys know the rules. "Hey Arnold" doesn't belong to me. If it did, I'd let you all use it and write me neat stories to put out on tapes to buy. Then none of us would ever miss an episode.   
I don't usuall write Brainy/Helga fic, that not my bag, baby. But this one came after reading Bunni girl story "Dreams of Blue Skies". So this story is dedicated to Bunni.  
  
  
Worth the Wait  
  
  
The music was pumping loudly, as most of the student body was out on the dance floor of  
the gymnasium dancing to their hearts content. He however, was sitting on the bleachers,  
watching the throng of teenagers, his eyes continuing the search for the one he knew  
would show up.   
He had overheard her telling her friend that she would be at the dance that night.   
This seemed odd, because she was not know for her school spirit, nor her willingness to  
engage with the student body. But, because he knew she was coming, he had gone. Just  
for a chance to see her; watch her from a distance.  
That was then. Now, after sitting here for an hour, he didn't believe she was going  
to show. He sighed. He would wait for a few minutes more, then try to sneak out of here  
without anyone seeing him.   
One song ended, and the DJ started up another. He had heard it before. It was  
American Woman sung by Lenny Kravitz.   
The door to the gym opened and she walked in. His eyes widened as he saw her...  
or rather the lack of her. She strutted in, almost in time with the music, her eyes searching  
the hordes of people. He looked at her, struck. She was wearing black capris, black  
strappy healed sandals, and a blood red halter top that came in criss-cross straps around  
her back. The front was cut low. Her blond hair was down.   
He remembered to breathe. She scanned the crowd again, ignoring the kids that  
were starting to take notice of her. Then her eyes locked with his and she smiled. He  
looked around him, looking for the one that she'd been chasing for years. He was  
standing by the speaker with a group of friend, all of them staring at her in awe. The boy  
followed her gaze and their eyes locked briefly. One in shock, the other in disbelief. He  
looked back at her, then almost fell off the bleacher. She was coming straight for him,  
her eyes still locked on him, the smile still in place. He gasped, then tried to catch his  
breath as she stopped in front of him. Vaguely he heard the music change to something  
hip-hop, as she smiled wider, beckoning him with a finger. He looked around, then back  
at her questioningly. She nodded, and continued to beckon. Gulping, he stood up, almost  
afraid that it was all a dream. She grabbed his arm and literally pulled him onto the dance  
floor. When she began to dance up on him, he really knew it was a dream. Into the next  
song, he looked around. Teenage boys were all looking at him and her in shock. He  
looked back at her.  
"Um, isn't there anyone else you'd rather be dancing with?" He had to ask; it was killing  
him.   
Her lips curled knowingly, and she slowly shook her head. He looked over at the  
blond boy by the speakers. He was still standing there, staring in disbelief and a little  
envy. He turned back to his dance partner and grinned widely. This may have been a  
dream, but he was damn sure going to enjoy it while it lasted.  
  
They danced for almost an hour before she spoke. When she finally did, it was  
almost like angels were speaking to him.  
"How long have you been here?" she asked over the music.   
"I was here about an hour before you showed up." he told her. She grinned.  
"I'm bored. You wanna get out of here?"  
He frowned, his heart almost stopping. He was with her, but now she wanted to go where  
there were no witnesses.  
"We leave now, and everyone is going to wonder why we left early." she explained.   
"Besides, I'm starving. Do you mind going with me with the waffle home?"  
He grinned stupidly. She was asking him to go with her somewhere! It was almost a  
date!  
"Sure!"  
"Great. Let's go."   
Taking his hand, she led him through the crowd of kids all stopping to watch as  
the unusual pair left the dance early. Girls gathered in groups to talk about it. Guys found  
their friend to ask questions. And two people didn't seem to care what the rest of the  
school thought.  
  
  
They stopped at the waffle home, and ordered. Then she told him the real story.  
"I knew you were going o be there tonight." she said, taking a sip of her coffee. He  
looked at her startled.  
"How?"   
She smiled. "I planned it. I knew you were standing on the opposite side of the wall  
when I told my friend I was going to the dance this morning."  
"But, why?"  
"I'm sixteen. It's time I made some changes in my life." She gestured to her clothing.  
"Starting with this. I actually developed when I was twelve, but I was too ashamed of it.   
So I started wearing those baggy clothes to hide myself. I guess I managed to set a style  
for myself when I didn't mean to, because when the rest of the girls finally caught up with  
me and were able to wear the clothes, everyone thought I was dressing up when I tried to  
dress outside the frump clothes. I'm not doing it any longer."  
"That's only one change."   
"You're right. During the frump time, I discovered most boys forget what inside beauty  
is. If you're hot on the outside, then you're it. The people who saw the me behind the  
frump clothes, their my friends. Even you." She smiled again. "Even during the baggy  
clothing and endless ponytails, you still followed me. You were my witness, you saw  
behind the clothes, and knew the real me, and it didn't scare you away. I did a lot of  
thinking this past week, about what I should do with my life; what I needed to throw  
away. I cane to the conclusion that I need the throw out everything from the last sixteen  
years. It's old, it's pointless and I can't understand why I waited so long. It's never done  
anything for me."  
He smiled, knowing exactly who she was talking about.   
"So, as of today, there is a new Helga G. Pataki. Old attitude, new style, definitely new  
interests. And I'd really like you to be one of those new interests."  
His heart stopped. His breath caught in his throat. Did she really say...  
"W..why me?" he sputtered.  
She reached over, touching his hand. "Like I said before, you know me. And I know  
enough about you to know that the new me isn't going to change anything you've felt  
about me in the past. You always were about to see beyond the facade, even when  
everyone else stopped trying. And I think it's time that I move past childhood dreams and  
live in the present with someone who can understand me. I think that's you. If you want  
it to be."  
"Yes!" he nearly shouted. "I mean, I'd really like it to be."  
She smiled again, picking up her coffee cup, her hand still on his. They talked until late  
into the night and early the next morning.  
They both knew Monday was going to bring questions that needed to be answered,  
comment to be ignored, offers to be declined, but none of that mattered to him.   
She had chosen him. After the long years of waiting, the following, the longing, the  
lamenting, she had finally chosen him. And that alone had been worth the wait. 


End file.
